Dominican Senate receives bill to declare sports tourism a national priority

Santo Domingo.- A bill seeking to declare sports tourism a national priority in the Dominican Republic was submitted to the Senate on October 14 and referred to the Permanent Sports Committee for review.

The initiative, promoted by the Dominican Association of Sports Tourism (ADOTURD) and presented by San Cristóbal Senator Gustavo Lara Salazar, proposes creating the National Council for the Development of Sports Tourism (CONDETUDE) to coordinate efforts among the government, sports sector, and private industry.

The bill would also establish a National Sports Tourism Strategy, a registry of organizations involved in the sector, and a one-stop shop to streamline procedures related to sporting events and investments. It also proposes measures to encourage investment and sponsorship without introducing new taxes or additional state spending.

ADOTURD President Yerik Pérez said the initiative aims to create a coordinated national policy to attract international sporting events, increase investment, and generate economic opportunities in communities across the country. “The Dominican Republic has the potential to become a leading sports tourism destination,” Pérez said, adding that the proposed framework would help organize the sector’s growth and expand its economic benefits.

The proposal also calls for private-sector participation in developing and monitoring public policies, as well as the creation of statistics and economic impact studies to measure the sector’s contribution.